Sports Biographies

Lennart Johansson - the Robin Hood of World FootballThe founder of the Champions League, Lennart Johansson was UEFA's longest serving president, remaining honorary president until his death in 2019. In 1998, he contested the FIFA presidency, losing to the infamous Sepp Blatter.

Dive into the thrilling life of Raymond Chester, the Oakland Raiders legend. While America was convulsed following the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, Chester was central to the move of Black American football into the mainstream. From his college glory at Morgan State to his iconic moments on the NFL field, Chester's story is one of resilience and triumph which resonates far beyond the world of sport. This inspiring account of an American sporting hero and his extraordinary impact on society is entrusted to his close friend, author and rugby fan Jon Gower, revealed through extensive interviews taking place from Wales to the US. Raider is the story of a true team player, one musician in a band of brothers who played their own wild tune on the football field, in a life filled with exceptional athleticism, brotherhood, friendship and love.

The ball is in the air as a sports writer confronts his deepest fears on a GAA championship trail. The question is where it will land.

'One of the best accounts ever written of deep-water diving and its staggering, haunting dangers' Robert Kurson, New York Times bestselling author of Shadow DiversDeep underwater lurks a mysterious man-made illness. It has gone by many names over the years - Satan's disease, diver's palsy, the chokes - but today, medics call it decompression sickness. You know it as the bends.That's the devil British diver Martin Robson faces each time he plunges beneath the surface. In the winter of 2012, Robson was part of an expedition to Blue Lake, southern Russia, which sought to find a submerged cave system never seen by the human eye. On the final day of the expedition, as Robson returned from diving deeper into the lake than anyone had before, disaster struck: just seventy-five feet down, he was ambushed by the bends.Robson knew that if he continued up to the surface he would probably die before help arrived. Instead, he sank back into the water, gambling on an underwater practice most doctors believe is a suicidal act. Soon the only hope he had of saving his life would rest in the hands of a dramatic mercy mission organised at the highest levels of the Russian government.Between the Devil and the Deep is the first book to tell the terrifying true story of what it feels like to get the bends, taking you inside the body and mind of a man who suffered the unthinkable. Writer Mark Cowan also explores the grimly fascinating history of decompression sickness, the science behind what causes the disease, and the stories of the forgotten divers who pushed the limits of physical endurance to help find a solution.

Record-breaking swimmer Becca Mann shares how she turned her failed Olympic dreams into making history as the first—and only—person to ever swim the 21-hour Maui Nui Tri-Channel CrossingI wasn’t afraid of the ocean. I wasn’t afraid of the unseen depths beneath the water, or what lurked below. I was afraid of being trapped in my own mind.Record-breaking swimmer Becca Mann was a young swimming prodigy. A two-time USA National champion, she was the youngest person ever to place in the Top 10 in four events at a single Olympic Trials and represented Team USA at four World Championships. But after years of sacrifice, relentless drive, and coming heartbreakingly close to Olympic glory—three times—Becca’s dreams came crashing down.In Outside the Lanes, Becca shares her journey from the disappointment of Olympic defeat to making history as the first—and only—person to conquer the grueling, 21-hour, 40-mile Maui Nui Tri-Channel Crossing. She also opens up about the mental battles that shaped her: confronting the sacrifices she endured, OCD, and the relentless pressure to succeed.More than just a story of a young athlete, Outside the Lanes is a powerful exploration of resilience, reinvention, and redefining what it means to win. This is an inspiring read for anyone who has ever dared to chase a dream by adventuring outside the lanes.

Brushes with a Stroke is the inspirational account of how the human spirit need not be crushed by the debilitating effects of a stroke. Veteran sportswriter and stroke victim Neil Harman tells seven vivid sporting stories: tales of doubt, fear and ultimately of fierce determination in the face of a frightening condition.

Jon Attenborough, a visually impaired football fan,embarks on an extraordinary journey with his guide dog, Sam, across Scotland,visiting every single one of the 42 Scottish Professional Football League(SPFL) grounds. Jonand Sam conquer the 42 making Scottish Football History!